Aymeric Laporte, passing lovingly with his left foot, looked the part but there was no sane judging of him on this evidence.

He could have brought a book.

This was an identikit Manchester City football match, an exercise in what they can do with the vast majority of possession.

For a little while here, it was not a great deal but one of this team’s greatest assets is its variations.

There is little repetition, it’s like a bowler varying line and length with every ball.

They attack from all angles, with all personnel, barring the goalkeeper - and don’t rule that out before long.

Fernandinho opened the scoring for City (Image: Getty Images Europe)

It was the perfect display from Guardiola's men (Image: Manchester City FC)

When West Brom thought they had all the runners covered, Fernandinho ghosted from deep, Kevin de Bruyne’s peripheral vision sharpened and the pass was delivered so promptly, the Brazilian might have thought he had to sign for it.

Instead, he slipped it through Ben Foster’s wide-legged advance.

It had been a good job Bobby Madley had not decided an earlier little stamp on Grzegorz Krychowiak had been unintentional but the rare goal was just reward for Fernandinho’s consistent, understate excellence.

De Bruyne’s assist was another beauty but of the type that has become routine.

The Belgian’s every step leaves the footmark of confidence, the disbelief when he patted a straightforward chance straight at Foster was audible.

Aguero couldn't resist getting on the scoresheet (Image: AFP)

Aguero's shot found a way past Foster (Image: PA)

This is a player amusing himself hugely by trying to find new ways off influencing games.

There was the snapshot that skimmed the crossbar and the reverse headed pass that almost put Sterling in.

Almost was the word for Raheem, frequently smuggling himself into dangerous positions, frequently failing to execute his intentions, as he did when checking inside early in the second half, only to curl his attempt a hair or two wide.

That sort of squandered opportunity meant a game that should have been settled well before the hour mark was not.

And that needled Guardiola, whose frustration show itself in a technical area exchange of views with Alan Pardew.

He was probably frustrated with the tactics employed by Pardew, which featured time-wasting when in arrears - a common phenomenon at the Etihad this season.

It was a frustrating evening for Pardew and West Brom (Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Sturridge made his debut for West Brom (Image: PA)

Keep the damage to a minimum and then have a bit of a pop late doors, it is what most teams who visit these parts do.

It will work on rare occasions, particularly if you have a half-decent keeper and Foster’s photo-friendly effort to divert a meaty hit from Bernardo Silva.

But it won’t work when De Bruyne is in this familiar sort of form and after his decisive intervention, Guardiola could even afford himself the luxury of giving his main man a breather.

If anyone deserves one, it is De Bruyne, who then sat contentedly and watched Sergio Aguero clip in a third from Sterling’s pass.

If anyone deserved the standing ovation he got from all corners, it is De Bruyne.